Great British Nuclear: Overview
Published 18 July 2023
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About GBN
Great British Nuclear (GBN) will deliver the government’s long-term nuclear programme and support the government’s ambition to deliver up to 24GW of nuclear power in the UK by 2050. This could mean nearly a quarter of the UK’s total power demands being met by low-carbon, secure nuclear energy, supporting the UK’s energy security, and contributing to our net zero targets.
We are an arms-length body operating through a repurposed British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) Ltd.
Our inaugural Chairman is Simon Bowen and Chief Executive is Gwen Parry Jones OBE. Both currently serve as interim office holders and together are building a staffing team of equally experienced industry professionals and public servants.
Our work
GBN’s first priority is to administer a competitive process to select the best small modular reactor (SMR) technologies from around the world.
This SMR technology selection process will underpin government’s commitment to two nuclear Project Final Investment Decisions during the next Parliament, with at least one of these being into an SMR project.
GBN has launched the next phase of the SMR technology selection process and invites SMR vendors to register their interest. This is an important next step in identifying those companies best able to reach a project Final Investment Decision (FID) by the end of 2029, which could result in billions of pounds of public and private investment in SMR projects.
It demonstrates that the government is delivering on its priorities to partner with the nuclear industry and jointly spearhead the future of nuclear technologies, to secure decarbonised and domestically-generated electricity to power the economy. The government recognises the importance of moving quickly to uphold our energy security and net zero ambitions, and is seeking to deliver the fastest competition of its kind in the world.
GBN will work to support access to suitable potential sites for these new SMR nuclear technologies. As a nationally significant infrastructure project, we recognise that community engagement is central to the overall success. A project developer will work with host communities, their local authorities, as well as the regulatory bodies and other key stakeholders to shape the proposals that will inform the statutory consultation requirements and any application for development consent.
The government remains strongly committed to the full spectrum of nuclear technologies and is continuing to consider how all technologies could further contribute to UK energy security and meeting climate change targets, including GBN’s role in supporting this.